India, May 23 -- When Maddock Films decided to take the straight-to-streaming route with Bhool Chuk Maaf, they probably didn't think it would lead to a Rs.60-crore lawsuit.

Tensions between India and Pakistan were high around the film's original release date of May 9. The Indian Premier League had been suspended. This, the producers felt, was not an ideal time to release, in theatres, a mid-sized comedy with no A-listers on its cast.

The theatre owners were livid, a mood no doubt exacerbated by the fact that Maddock announced its decision to go straight to streaming on May 8, a day before the scheduled theatrical release.

In a time of steadily declining footfall for cinemas, the new Maddock film had shimmered with possibility. This pro...